These ornaments aren’t just decorations, they’re snapshots in time.

You can see a handprint Santa captures your child’s tiny fingers as a beard, while candy canes and trees let them go wild with paint.

The best part is that you only need a few pantry ingredients to create something that will last for years of Christmas mornings.

Materials Needed

• All-purpose flour - 2 cups (250 g)
• Salt - 1 cup (120 g)
• Water - 1 cup (240 ml)
• Cookie cutters - tree, candy cane, star (3-4" size)
• Acrylic paint - red, green, white, black, gold
• Paintbrushes - 2-3 different sizes
• Ribbon or twine - 8" length per ornament
• Straw or skewer - for making holes
• Clear acrylic sealer (optional, for lasting shine)

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Mix the flour, salt, and water until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth.

Step 2: Roll the dough to about 1/4" thickness. Then use cookie cutters to cut out candy canes and trees, or press a child’s hand into the dough for a Santa base.

Step 3: Use a straw to poke a hole near the top of each ornament for hanging.

Step 4: Bake at 200°F (90°C) for 2–3 hours, flipping once halfway. Or air-dry for 24-48 hours until completely hard.

Step 5: Once cooled, paint your designs: green for trees, red and white stripes for candy canes, and add details to the handprint to turn it into Santa’s face.

Step 6: Seal with a clear acrylic spray (optional), then thread ribbon or twine through the hole.